This new variety of African violet plant was obtained by cross-pollenating the seed parent Saintpaulia "Melodie" Rhonda and the pollen parent Saintpaulia "Melodie" Angie. The seed pods of the pollenated plants were used as the generic basis for initiating further propagation trials. A total of 920 seedlings resulted from the stated cross. Of these, 27 individual seedlings were selected and retained for further observation to assess vigor, early blooming, and development. The mature characteristics of growth habit and for testing to reflect disease resistance of the selections.
The specific plant was a selection from among the 27 plants remaining from the initial cross. The plant of this disclosure was selected based on a number of outstanding characteristics including exhibition quality plant confirmation and generous placement of elegant flowers of appealing shape and color characteristics and was subsequently denominated `Katy`. I have asexually reproduced `Katy` by taking leaf cuttings to start plants in the normal way for Saintpaulia ionantha. Descendants of the original plant have proven to be completely the same as the parent plant in all distinguishing characteristics to establish that `Katy` is stable.